Tougher trash laws likely

Tougher trash laws likely
Mon, July 16, 2007
By JOE BELANGER, SUN MEDIA

Chances are Londoners will be hauling less trash to the curb starting this fall — if not on their own, then by edict.

And there may be tougher rules to come as the city moves to reduce the mountain of trash sent to its landfill.

Amid growing back strain for trash collectors, struggling to lift overstuffed bags and bins, city council is to vote tonight to reduce the maximum weight allowed in curbside trash containers.

The proposal is to cut the maximum in each of four allowed containers per pickup to 20 kilograms (44 pounds), down from 27 kg (60 lbs.) now.

But that’s not all:

- Tonight, council will also be asked to OK the first step to expand the curbside blue-box recycling system, by taking bids, to keep up with a jump in recyclables since the city limited how many trash bins residents can put out for pickup.

- And as early as fall 2009, the city could adopt the so-called green bin program, already used in some cities, to divert kitchen and organic waste for composting.

One council veteran, determined to see fewer trash containers and more recycling, says London is moving “much slower” than she’d like.

“We have a huge distance to cover to reduce the amount of garbage we’re producing and we need to move as soon as those staff reports are ready,” Coun. Susan Eagle said.

“I don’t want to see any deferral,” Eagle said.

The last major Ontario city to adopt the blue-box program nearly 20 years ago, London also has a big landfill with years of life left in it — something many cities, forced to hurry waste-diversion options, don’t.

The reduced container weight limit, recommended by council’s environment and transportation committee, would take effect in October if approved by council tonight.

Last year, council imposed a four-container limit on curbside pickup. There’s since been a 10-per-cent drop in the volume of garbage placed curbside and a 16-per-cent jump in recycling volumes.

Tonight, council will be asked to approve a staff request to get bids to expand the blue-box program next year to take items such as juice and milk cartons, drinking boxes, empty paint cans, aerosol containers, other plastic bottles — even plastic bags.

If approved, those changes could start in September 2009.

But the biggest change for homeowners may be a green-bin program to collect table scraps.

Staff are preparing a report for a meeting in September that will outline where, when and how the city can reduce the waste going to its landfill.

Eagle said she’d like to see council act sooner than later on a green-bin program.

“During the (November) election campaign, I heard from lots of people that they want us to move on a green- box program,” she said.

“And I’m seeing a lot of people already putting limits on the amount of garbage and, it seems to me, just by looking at the curb, I’m seeing far more compliance with recycling.”

Two years ago, Eagle pushed hard but failed in a bid to reduce to two or three the bag limit for curbside pickup.

A green-bin program would come with a hefty cost, of $3 million to $4 million a year.

But it’s also the key to reaching the province’s goal of 60-per-cent waste diversion from landfills, which the city hopes to reach by 2012 or 2015.

The annual expenditure on recycling would have to rise to about $9.5 million to hit the 60-per-cent target, said Jay Stanford, the city’s environmental services manager.

The city now diverts 40 per cent of its waste, at a cost of about $3.6 million a year.

Stanford is preparing a report for council in September to explore diversion options, costs and how to pay.

“It’s going to narrow down the choices that make sense for London and then, if council approves, be circulated to the public,” he said.

For some politicians, the cost — not the environment — is a key factor.

Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell, council’s budget chief, said he wants to see a cost-benefit study of expanding recycling to include organics.

“Financially, it’s very onerous, but I’m going to have an open mind,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot of life left in our landfill, so we’re not in the same position as a lot of other municipalities. And we don’t have an endless amount of money to spend on programs. So, whatever we spend, we want to be sure it’s effective.”

Gosnell suggested it could be five years before Londoners see a green-bin program.

“We’re starting to get a handle on it, but we’ve had some serious financial problems in this city,” he said.

TRASH LIMITS

Household trash in London is limited to four containers or bags per pickup, each weighing as much as 60 pounds (27 kilograms). A proposal to reduce the limit would lower it to 44 pounds (20 kg) per container, which, totalling 176 pounds (80 kg), also equals:

- About the average weight of a Canadian man.

- About the amount of food an Asian elephant needs each day.

- Slightly less than the total weight you’re allowed on free, checked baggage with Air Canada’s elite service.

Source: London Free Press